It is known that the presence of even very low levels of certain metals in water consumed in everyday life of people, in agriculture and for other purposes is a significant factor causing serious health problems throughout the world. The metals may contaminate water as the result of environmental pollution and because of natural reasons.
Metal analysis usually involves a sophisticated and expensive equipment. This equipment is difficult to use in the field, because the instrumentation required is large and delicate, and the analysis requires precise measurement and mixing of numerous types of liquid without contamination.
Usually, water samples are transported from sample locations to a laboratory to be subjected to the analysis. Since a significant amount of time may elapse during the transportation of the water sample to the laboratory, the sample characteristics may change as a result of precipitation, absorption, and/or contamination during this period.
Concerned institutions and individuals are continually looking for economical, accurate and simple-to-use solutions for trace metal analysis in the field. Nevertheless, a small number of colorimetric kits are available which can be used in the field to measure the concentration of a single metal, and no kits are available which allow measurement of several metals simultaneously.